Mass prayer in Washington Trump, God and the nation - what's behind "Rededicate 250"
Donald Trump stages himself as the protector of Christian America: thousands of people gather in Washington for a prayer festival. The White House is paying for the party and hopes for a new "nation under God".
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- With "Rededicate 250", the Trump administration organized a huge Christian prayer festival on the National Mall in Washington.
- Evangelical preachers and Republican politicians presented the USA as a Christian nation founded by God.
- Critics warn that Donald Trump is deliberately using religion to make Christian nationalism politically acceptable and to undermine the separation of religion and state.
Thousands of people pray on the National Mall in Washington, members of the government speak of America as a "Christian nation" - and Donald Trump sends a Bible message from the White House. Together, they want to make the USA "once again" a nation under God.
The event is aptly named "Rededicate 250": "Rededicate" is difficult to translate into German, but means something like "rededicate" or "rededicate". The White House wants to present the USA as a Christian nation: As part of the official celebrations for the 250th anniversary of American independence, the event shows how closely religion and politics have now merged in the USA. For critics, this is alarming.
The fact that the Trump administration of all people organized the religious event makes the meeting quite controversial. The USA under Donald Trump is taking another step towards Christian nationalism.
On the stages of the "Rededicate" mass service, which is mainly celebrated by evangelicals, you can hear sentences such as: "Our founding fathers knew that we need God.", according to Der Spiegel. Or: "God has been at the center of our nation since the founding in 1776."
But that is simply wrong. The USA was by no means founded as a Christian nation. Rather, the separation of church and state is enshrined in the constitution and is one of the cornerstones of democracy in the USA.
What exactly was the "Rededicate 250"?
The event was far more than an ordinary church service. For eight hours, evangelical preachers, conservative politicians and Christian musicians took turns on stage. The message from the speakers was clear: America was created by Christian founding fathers and must return to these roots.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Vice President JD Vance and Intelligence Coordinator Tulsi Gabbard sent video messages. Republican Representative Mike Johnson, who as Speaker of the House of Representatives is the number three in the USA, even spoke in person at the event.
Trump himself did not appear in person, but had a pre-produced video message shown in which he read a Bible verse from the Old Testament. It was about national repentance and divine blessing - a favorite theme of many evangelical Trump supporters.
Why is the "Rededicate 250" controversial?
In the USA, the separation of church and state is considered a cornerstone of democracy. The First Amendment to the Constitution expressly prohibits the state from favoring one religion or establishing a state religion.
Historians therefore disagree with the view that the United States was founded as an explicitly Christian nation. According to the New York Times, the renowned historian Joseph Ellis described this view as "completely wrong".
Progressive groups therefore protested against the event. Slogans such as "Democracy, not Theocracy" were projected onto the façade of the National Gallery. Demonstrators accused Trump of politically instrumentalizing religion.
Many observers are particularly critical of the fact that the event was supported by the state. The "Washington Post" even reported millions in taxpayers' money for the event.
Why is Trump courting Christians so much?
Evangelical Christians have been one of Trump's most important voter groups for years. Although Trump is hardly considered particularly religious personally, he is increasingly presenting himself as the protector of Christian America.
Many conservative Christians feel culturally marginalized - for example by social liberalization, LGBTQ debates or the declining influence of churches. Trump gives them the feeling that they are defending their values against liberal elites.
It was precisely this narrative that became apparent at the event. Visitors spoke of the need for America to "return to God". Others openly described Trump as a political fighter sent by God.
For Trump, the alliance with the religious right has enormous political advantages: Evangelical voters are particularly reliable at the polls, are highly organized and form a central part of the MAGA movement. At the same time, religious symbolism helps him to portray political opponents not just as opponents, but as a moral threat.
What about the separation of state and religion?
It is no coincidence that Trump is increasingly using religious imagery. He recently hit the headlines with AI-generated images showing him as the Pope or an almost messianic figure. Religion is also playing an increasingly important role in his government.
According to the New York Times, Christian prayer meetings are now regularly held in the White House. Defense Secretary Hegseth has spoken publicly about American military power serving a divine mission.
What is the myth of George Washington praying all about?
A second trend also shows the extent to which the American right is religiously charged: the romanticized portrayal of the founding fathers. The "New York Times" recently reported on the increasing popularity of images showing George Washington kneeling in prayer - although historians doubt that the scene ever took place in this way.
Such depictions serve conservative circles as proof that America was a Christian project from the very beginning. It was precisely this symbolism that "Rededicate 250" drew on.
With material from the news agencies dpa and AFP.
